I Won't Let You Go
by BePassionate24
Summary: One Shot. Slightly A/U. Set sometime after 4x23. My idea of what kind of conversation Stefan and Elena would have if Elena had parts of her humanity back and before Stefan really left Mystic Falls to live his own life, like he had told Damon he would do.


**A/N: Hey all! So, this is just a little ONE SHOT that has been kind of floating around my head and has been screaming at me to be written. LOL. But, anyways. Hope you all like it. It is also slightly A/U. Maybe set sometime after 4x23 and my idea of if Stefan were to leave town after Elena is struggling to get her humanity back and no one has found the cure yet. **

**P.S. Sorry If I made Elena whiny in this..I really didn't mean to. :) **

**Enjoy!  
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**I Won't Let You Go**

He had walked out the door without another thought, the memories of her had been filling the empty spot in his heart for months now. The memories of the girl that he had once known.

Stefan Salvatore was at his last straw, always wanting to be the better person, the better brother and at this point. However, leaving was all he had left now. Leaving the town he had come back to for her was the biggest of scarifies. Yet, he knew that it was better this way. To leave before he changed his mind, before his love for her stopped him.

However, even in her darkest of hours, Stefan still hung onto the hope that he could see some parts of her old self shine through for the briefest of moments in the last few weeks, since he had announced his departure. The parts of the girl that he had fallen in love with so long ago, the girl that he would have given the world up for, just to see her smiling face once more. And now that Elena had finally turned her humanity back on, he had kept his promise. To leave town and start a new life, one of his own.

With his bags packed and memories of when they had loved and lost all intact. Stefan made his way outside to his old red Porsche. But, he quickly stopped when he heard her voice, a soft whisper coming from behind him.

"Don't leave me here. I can't do this without you... I can't survive like this, without you!" She begged, tears flowing down her olive colored skin, her hands shaking as she approached him.

"I thought that you weren't supposed to care. That this was the best thing. I leave town for as long as I want and when I come back, things will be different." He told her, watching when she stepped in front of him, her dampened cheeks glistening and her hands shaking when she inhaled a deep breath and looked down at her dark brown boots, covered in dirt from being in the Salvatore's cellar for far too long as they tried to help her. To save her from herself, ultimately bringing in Katherine to make Elena realize that not caring wasn't the best thing for her.

"I know, but I don't want you to go. I've done and said many horrible things to you and I'm so sorry, Stefan. I wasn't myself then and I never meant them. Please, Stefan. I want you to stay. I know that we've both said a lot of horrible things to each other. But, I can't see you go. I'm selfish with you and I know that I shouldn't be. But, I can't grieve alone, Stefan. Please, it hurts so much. I can't do this...I-" Elena cried, trying to cling onto him as he took a step back and leaned against his car.

Watching her, the woman that he loved so much all those years ago and still somewhere deep down had never really suppressed his love for, break down in front of him was devastating. Even after he had found out that she had been with his brother too. Stefan still loved her, loved the girl that he had lost.

"I'm letting you do this alone, Elena. Because, you are strong enough and I have too. Maybe one day, you and I will meet again. Perhaps in a few years, when everything is said and done and you're a writer, like you had always wanted to be. You can tell me about all the places you've seen, all the people you've met and all the love you shared with them. Your love about music and writing. Your love for life and everything this world has to offer." He told her, watching as she sniffled and leaned against him. Her dark brown hair swaying in the light breeze as her head crashed against his chest and she sobbed, for everything. For them and the love that they had lost, for her brother whose life had been cut short, for her aunt and her parents who hadn't been able to see her grow up and love, live a happy life. One filled without worry.

Stefan held her close, wrapping his arms around her tightly as he leaned his head down against her hair, inhaling her scent. Ingraining her smell of lavender and vanilla inside of his memory, so he would never forget it. Another piece of her that he would miss dearly. Yet, it didn't matter now. Since, he had finally come to the decision that leaving Mystic Falls was better than to stick around and watch his brother and Elena live their lives together.

"I wish things would have been different...I wish that I could have saved you from this fate of being like me, forever. I just wish that your life hadn't turned out like this." Stefan told her, still holding her sobbing and trembling body against his own, leaning his back against his car.

He felt as Elena stirred in his arms, lifting up her tear stained face and mascara covered cheeks as she unraveled her arms away from him and looked into his eyes. Elena placed both of her warm hands on his face and locked her eyes with Stefan's as she tried to find her voice, clearing her throat as she finally whispered out. "Don't blame yourself. Don't you ever blame yourself for what happened to me. It was my choice, Stefan. Even if we do find the cure one day and I'm given the choice of taking it. I would still choose to take it with you..I don't love Damon like I love you. I care for him and he does mean something to me. Yet, he will never fill my heart with joy, he'll never make me smile like you do... He'll never make me feel alive or want to love so deeply, until it hurts." She said, her voice trailing off as her eyes lit up and she wiped away her tears once again, a thought dancing around in her head as she suddenly blurted out.

"Let me come with you. Please, Stefan! We can live out our lives together, I can make it up to you, I can show you that I never meant to hurt you and how sorry I am that I did. We can be happy..Together, we can go wherever our hearts and minds desire. We can be together forever." She tried to suggest, hearing as he let out a small laugh and shook his head, taking her hands into his own and glancing up into her eyes, now filled with unshed tears as he thought about the idea of having Elena to himself without Damon interrupting their lives. It was tempting, it really was. However, as he swallowed the lump in his throat. Stefan knew that it was impossible in this moment in time. Because, even if Elena didn't want to admit it, she needed to see her relationship with Damon through. Even if it hurt them both in the process.

"It's not that simple, Elena. We can't just forget everything that happened between us and make it better by leaving this place. Look, one day when I come back. When you've figured out what you feel for Damon and some time has passed. Maybe then, we can go away together. We can start over, like you want too." Stefan told her, hearing as a sudden wailing sob escaped past her lips and she shook her head.

"Please, Stefan. Reconsider this. Don't go! Please, we can figure things out. I don't love him, Stefan! I love you and I always have. Don't you remember. It's you and me, Stefan. Always." Elena commented, watching as he nodded and leaned into her again, his thumbs grazing against her wet cheeks and his lips kissing her forehead gently.

"I know, Elena. I will always love you and care about you. You'll be with me everywhere I go. But, sometimes love isn't always enough and as much as I love you. I need to let you go. But, I promise you that I'll never forget you and that you will always be in my heart." Stefan told her, backing away from her and feeling as Elena's hands held onto his tightly when he turned to leave.

"Close your eyes." Stefan told her, taking a brisk step towards her and watching as her eyelids shut. His lips were just inches away from hers when he leaned into her, kissing them gently and savoring the taste of her against his tongue. Stefan watched as she nodded, their once intertwined hands slowly separating when he walked towards his car and left Elena standing alone in the boarding house's driveway.

He didn't look back at her when he got into the car. But, he swore that he could hear her soft voice speak as he walked away. A soft murmur coming out of her mouth, the words he knew by heart now rang out into the air. "I love you, Stefan. Hold on to that. Never let that go." She said as she stood alone in the parking lot.

Stefan exhaled deeply and wiped away a tear that trickled down his cheek as he turned the car on and began his new journey. Leaving the love of his life behind and the one place that he had once called home. Knowing that deep down in his heart, that he would see her again. If not in this lifetime, maybe in the next. Because after all, they did have an eternity of lives to live and centuries to love.

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**A/N: I know the idea may seem a little odd. But, I kind of liked it. :) Hope you all did too. **

**Thanks so much for reading! Let me know if I should write more one shots or drabbles. Because, I would love some requests. :) **


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